Boy was I overly optimistic when I promised this newsletter would resume on the 27th. Nothing like long-haul travel plus a week of jet lag to humble me real quick.

My partner and I traveled to Bali for a wedding, a trip we extended into a two-week stay. I was struck by the lush landscape in Ubud, with its epic waterfalls at every turn. The Indonesian island, nicknamed Island of the Gods, is deeply spiritual, with water playing a massive role in religious and daily life. Subak, the 9th-century irrigation system still used today, channels water through the landscape’s terraced rice paddies and into community temples for purification ceremonies, binding food and faith through this precious resource.

On our way back during a long layover in Singapore, I saw several signs encouraging me to drink water straight from the tap. I learned they have one of the cleanest water supplies in the world! Now back in drought-prone California, I’m reminded of a joke by Sheng Wang, one of my fave comedians: after backpacking for the first time and realizing he had to go fetch and filter water to drink it, he marvels at how, thanks to modern plumbing, water comes to us and we don’t even have to bend over for it.

Trying to hold onto these experiences to remind myself of our precious world, the privilege of travel and potable water, and at the very least to hydrate myself on long flights even though I die inside a little having to wake up a snoozing seatmate to shimmy out of my row and go pee.

Drink up 💦
Jamie

📝 This week’s writing prompt

Reply to this email to submit your writing. Submit by Saturday evening and see what everyone else wrote for the same prompt.

✨ Writing inspo of the week

Enjoying Creative Juice? Please share with a friend.